Parcel-elevator



Patented July 26, I898. A. S. HECHT.

PARCEL ELEVATOR.

(Application filed Mar. 31, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I (No Model.)

wn 0 a No. 607,850. Patented July 26,1898. I

A. S. HECHT.

PARCEL ELEVATOR.

(Application filed Max. 31, 1898.1

2 $heetsSheet 2.

(N0 Model.)

UNITED STATE ALBERT S. HEOIIT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PARCEL-ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed March 31. 1898.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT S. HEoHT,-a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Letter or Parcel Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in elevators, and more particularly to that class of elevators used for delivering letters and other mail-packages or small parcels to the upper floors of flats or apartment buildings; and it consists in certain peculiarities of the construction, novel arrangement, and operation of the various parts thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

The principal'objects of my invention are to provide an elevator which while it is more especially designed to be used for elevating and delivering packages of mail, yet it may be employed for elevating and delivering articles of various kinds, and which shall be so constructed as to automatically elevate and deliver packages to the upper stories of apartments, after which operation the carrier will descend to the main floor and remain in position for the next delivery.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a self-emptying box or carrier which shall be of such a construction as to safely retain the packages therein until they reach the proper point or points for delivery and also to provide a means for automatically looking the door leading to the box or carrier, so as to prevent packages being passed through said doorway when the carrier or box is being elevated.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description hereinaftercontained.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention pertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe it, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my elevating apparatus, showing it in position between two uprights of the Wall of a building and showing the portions shortened for the convenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view, partly in Patent No. 607,850, dated July 26, 1898. Serial No. 675,884. (Nb model.)

elevation, of the lower portion of the Well or way in which the carrier travels and illustrating the carrier in its lowered position therein. Fig 3 is a rear View in elevation of the carrier. Fig. 4 is a vertical view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a section of the well or way, showing one of the delivery-openings therein and illustrating the box or carrier in the act of emptying its contents through said opening. Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a mechanism used for elevating the box or carrier, showing it located in the upper portion of the well or way. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the elevating mechanism. Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of another part of said mechanism. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the controllingcatch used to engage a lever of the operating mechanism. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of one of the tripping-levers used for opening the door of the box or carrier; and Figs. 10 and 11 are side and front views, respectively in elevation of a modified form of the carrier or box as it appears when having several compartments.

Similar letters refer to like parts throughout the different views of the drawings.

A represents the guide rods or wires on .which the carrier or box B travels and are located within the well or way formed or provided for the reception and operation of the carrier. In the present instance I-have shown the Well or Way in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings as being located'within the wall of a building, the uprights a forming the side thereof, and the guide rods or Wires A as being secured to cross-pieces a, located near the top and bottom of Y the uprights. The lower ends of the rods or wires A-are provided with turnbuckles a, used for tightening them.

Secured parallel With the rods, wires, or cords A is another wire, rod, or cord A for the guidance of a weight b, which is secured to one end of a cable (9, whose other, end is attached to the upper portion of the box or carrier B and which cable passes over suitable shafts or pulleys b journaled at the upper portion of the well or way.

The box or carrier B is preferably rectangular in cross-section in its upper portion and has its lower portion inclined, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus forming a wedgeshaped figure. To each side of the box or carrier is pivotally secured one or more guides c, which engage the guide rods or wires A, and for this purpose are each provided, as shown in Fig. 2, with a slot or groove but may be made with a collar to encircle the wire. These guides are pivotally secured to the sides of the box or carrier to enable them to turn should an offset or curve in the guide wires or rods be required to correspond with a curve or offset in the well or way, which may sometimes be necessary on account of the construction of the building.

The lower rear part of the box Bis provided with a door B, which is normally held in a closed position by means of a spring 0 resting at its upper portion against the upper portion of the rear part of the box and at its lower portion against the outer surface of the door. The door B is fixed at its upper part to a pintle d, which is rotatably secured in a horizontal position on the rear portion of the box. Fixed to one end of the pintle (l is an arm 01, which normally lies in a horizontal position and extends forwardly to engage a tripping-lever 61*, which is fulcrumed on av bracket (1 extending into the well or way.

The upper front port-ion of the box or carrier B is provided with an opening B which when the box is at the bottom of the well registers with an opening 0 in the escutcheon or plate 0, which is secured to the outer wall 0 of the vestibule or hallway. The openings B and C in the box and escutcheon, respectively, are for the passage of mail-matter or other packages, and the latter-named opening is provided with a door 0 which is hinged at its upper portion and normally closes said opening.

The plate or escutcheon O is formed or provided on its inner surface, just below the opening 0 therein, with a downwardly-inclined flange 0 which serves to guide the mail matter and packages into the box or carrier. The lower portion of the plate or escutcheon O is formed or provided with another inwardly-extending flange or. projection 0 which rests in the wall 0 and serves partly as a support for said plate. Passing through the projections or flanges c and c is a rod 0 which has secured to its lower portion an arm 0 which extends into the well or way and engages the box or carrier or a bracket 0 located on its inclined portion. Between the arm a and the flange c and encircling the rod 0 is a spring 0 which as soon as the box or carrier Bis disengaged from the arm a on the rod 0 will raise said rod to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and thus lock the door C so as to prevent it being opened while the box or carrier is .being elevated.

The plate or escutcheon O is provided with 'a push-button c, which may be connected with a bell (not shown) to be used by callers in, a spring-clamp D, which is preferably formed of one piece of metal bent inwardly and then outwardlyat its free ends, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thus allowing the pointed end of the box or carrier to be inserted between the clam ping members of the piece D, which will afford a cushion or buffer for the box and will also tightly hold the door B thereof in a closed position.

Just above the door 0 and usually in the plate or escutcheon C, is located a push-button e, which may be shielded or concealed, so as to prevent it being tampered with by children, and yet will be of easy access to the postman. To this button is connected one end of an electric conductor e, whose other end is connected to a magnet E, located in the upper part of the well or way and usually on the cross-piece a therein. Extending from this magnet to a battery E or other electrical source is another conductor 6 which is secured to a binding-post 6 near the push-button 6, so that the same may be brought into contact therewith when it is desired to charge the magnet E and to raise the carrier. The magnetE is mounted on ametallic plate E, from which rises an arm 6 on which is fulcrumed a lover 6, extending over the magnet and one of whose ends is formed with an opening e to engage a catch F, which is pivotally secured to the plate E, as is clearly shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings. The lever e is overbalanced by means of a weight 6 on its end opposite from that in which the opening is formed, so as to hold it in contact with the catch. Located near the catch F is a metallic piece F, having a connection through the wire g with the electric motor G, which may be of the ordinary or any preferred kind, and which motor is located in the upper portion of the well or way and has another wire g leading therefrom to the battery E or electric source. On the shaft G of the motor is a pinion h, which engages a gear h, mounted on a shaft 7L2, which is journaled on a support 7L3 and has a pinion h to engage a gear 71 on the shaft 71 on which one of the pulleys is mounted.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown a modified construction of the box or carrier, which con-' sists in forming it with a vertical partition 1 and with an inclined partition 2", thus dividing the box or carrier into four compartments, each of which has in its rear portion a springactuated door B, as in the other construction. This latter arrangement permits of the carrier conveying at one trip mail or packages for different floors, the doors to each compartment being operated in the same manner as if one door only were used. Secured near the upper portion of the wire A, which guides the weight b, is a spring Z, which has a cushioning effect on the weight and through it a like effect on the box or carrier. Secured in the upper portion of the well or Way is a rod m, which has on its upper end a head to prevent it slipping through the opening in which it operates. The well or way is provided at proper points therein with an opening or openings N, through which the mail or packages may pass when emptied from the box or carrier.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawings it will be seen and clearly understood that when the carrier is in its lowered position, as shown Fig. 2 of the drawings, mail or packages may be deposited therein by being passed through the openings 0 and B when the postman may press the pushbutton e, thus completing the circuit through the conductors e and e and charging the magnet E, which will draw the lever e from the catch F and allow said catch, which is electrically connected to the magnet E through the plate E, to contact with the piece F, which operation will complete the circuit through the motor and set it in operation, thus driving the pulleys 19 which will allow the weight b to descend and cause the box or carrier to ascend, in which operation the arm or arms cl will strike the tripping lever or levers d and raise the door or doors B at the proper point and time to discharge the mail through the opening or openings N in the inner walls. WV hen the carrier approaches the upper portion of the well or Way, it will strike and lift the rod m, which in its turn will lift the catch F, thus breaking the circuit through the motor and causing the lever e to engage said catch and hold it in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings. The carrier will now descend and the weight b ascend, in which operation the spring Z will act as a buifer for the weight and the piece D for the box or carrier. Furthermore, the arm 0 on the rod 0 will also contact with the box or carrier or with the projections c thereon, which will also have a cushioning efieot by reason of the spring 0 on said rod. It is apparent that as soon as the weight of the box is removed from the arm 0 on this rod its upper end will be raised so as to engage and lock the door 0 to the opening in the plate or escutcheon.

lVhile I have shown and described an electric mechanism for operating my elevator, yet I do not wish to be limited to such construction or to such power, as I may employ other constructions and apply other kinds of power.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of a way for the carrier, said carrier having an opening for the deposit of packages and a doorway for their discharge, a door hinged on the carrier to close said doorway, an arm rigidly secured to the door of the carrier and a tripping-lever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of a way for the carrier, guide-rods located in said way, a carrier having means to engage the guide-rods, and provided with an opening for the deposit of packages and a doorway for their discharge, a door hinged on the carrier to close said doorway, an arm rigidly secured to the door of the carrier, and a lever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, substantially as described.

3. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of a guide for the carrier, said carrier having means to engage the guide and provided with an opening for the deposit of packages and a doorway for their discharge, a door hinged on the carrier to close said doorway, an arm rigidly secured to the door of the carrier and a tripping-lever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, substantially as described.

4. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of a guide and way for the carrier, I

said carrier having means to engage the guide, and provided with an opening for the deposit of packages," and a doorway for their discharge, a door on the carrier to close said doorway, an arm secured to the doorway of the carrier, a trippingdever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, and a spring-clasp located in the lower portion of the way, substantially as described.

5. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of guide-rods for the carrier, said carrier having on its sides swiveled guides to engage the guide-rods and provided with an opening for the deposit of packages and a doorway for their discharge, a door on the carrier to close said doorway, an arm secured to the door of the carrier, and a tripping-lever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, substantially as described.

6. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of guide-rods for the carrier, said carrier having swiveled on its sides guides to, engage said guide-rods, and provided with an opening for the deposit of packages and a doorway for their discharge, a door on the carrier to close said doorway, a spring secured on the carrier to close the door thereof, an arm secured to the door of the carrier, a tripping-lever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, and a spring-clamp located near the lower portion of the guide-rods to engage the lower end of the carrier, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a guide for the carrier, of a carrier having means to engage the guide and provided with an opening for the deposit of packages and a doorway for their discharge, a door on the carrier to close said doorway, an arm secured to the door of the carrier, a tripping-lever located so as to trip said arm and thereby open the door of the carrier, pulleys journaled at the upper end of the guide, a cable passing over said pulleys and secured at one of its ends to the carrier and having at its other end a weight, an electric motor geared to one of the pulleys and having a connection with an electric source, a magnet located near the pulleys and having a connection with an electric source, a lever pivotally secured above said magnet, a catch pivotally secured near the magnet and adapted to engage said lever and when freed therefrom to complete the circuit through the motor, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the pulleys b suit-- ably journaled, with the electric motor G, geared to one of the pulleys, and having a connection with, an electric source, of the magnet E, having a connection with an electric source, the lever 6 fulcrumed above said magnet, the catch F pivotally secured near the magnet and adapted to engage one end of said lever and to complete the circuit through the motor, and a vertically-movable rod m, substantially as described.

9. The combination with an elevating mechanism, of a guide for the carrier, a plate or eseutcheon located near said guide and-having an opening provided with a hinged door,

ALBERT S. HECHT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. TILLMAN, E. A DUGGAN. 

